Module SXY-4024:
Critical Leadership
Empowering Critical Leadership in Policing 2025-26
SXY-4024
2025-26
School Of History, Law And Social Sciences
Module - Semester 1
20 credits
Module Organiser:
Gwenda Jones
Overview
This module seeks to inspire and empower the development of enhanced skills in leadership in both operational and strategic level. The module is aimed at Police professionals who wish to become future leaders and managers. The module provides an evidence-based approach to improve Policing and the application of critical thinking and decision making within a complex and fast changing environment.
Core topics include contemporary leadership and management theories and processes and their specific application within Policing. Successful policing requires a balance between both aspects of strategic and operational styles for development of high performance teams, targets, the management of risk, decision-making, innovation and crime prevention, creative problem solving, in addition to team dynamics and data-driven leadership in the management of change and improvements within Policing. The module focuses on evidence based research and importantly on crucial lessons learned from previous Police reviews.
Assessment Strategy
50-59% / C- to C+ -Threshold / Pass Students should be able to describe, understand and reflect on the theoretical foundations and empirical matters within leadership and management and to apply them to current topic/s and scenarios. Students present written work that is generally comprehensible and focuses on the question directly.
60-69% B- to B+ -Good / Merit Students should be able to explain with accuracy and critically appreciate and reflect on the appropriate theoretical and empirical issues of the theories on leadership and management and apply them to current topic/s and locate these within a wider social and political context; show evidence of understanding of a range of complex material and summarise arguments with accuracy.
70% + / A- to A* -Excellent / Distinction Students should be able to engage in critical analysis and reflection on a wide and complex range of material and summarise the arguments with accuracy; relate an understanding of key concepts to theoretical perspectives within leadership and management in Policing; present written work of a high level of accuracy, fluency and sophistication.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply critical thinking and problem solving to emerging trends in Policing and technology and evaluate their implications for crime prevention, law enforcement, and ethical considerations.
- Critically and systematically assess the contemporary challenges in policing and develop and implement strategies for addressing these issues through evidence-based practices and policy frameworks.
- Critically demonstrate advanced understanding of strategic and operational leadership and management theories / styles/ processes and data in Policing and reflective practice in relation to crime prevention, ethical decision-making in relation to change.
- Systematically analyse Police legitimacy, accountability and transparency. Its relationship with community trust, and the importance of multi-agency partnership working in enhancing public safety, local community engagement, and the effectiveness of law enforcement.
Assessment method
Coursework
Assessment type
Summative
Description
Reflective report on the application of leadership and management theories to operational/strategic practice and the management of improvements in Policing change.
Weighting
50%
Assessment method
Individual Presentation
Assessment type
Summative
Description
20 minute Professional discussion highlighting reflective practice based on the application of theory to practice in relation to contemporary and future challenges within Policing. Student must demonstrate the application of strategies for addressing these issues through the centrality of evidence based research, practices, policy and processes.
Weighting
50%